Perittia cupreella ( Blanchard, 1852 )

Kaila, Lauri, 2019, An annotated catalogue of Elachistinae of the World (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Elachistidae), Zootaxa 4632 (1), pp. 1-231 : 143

Perittia cupreella ( Blanchard, 1852)

Elachista cupreella Blanchard, 1852: 110 . Type locality: Chile, Carelmapu ( Blanchard 1852: 110). Holotype ♂, in MHNM.

Perittia cupreella ( Blanchard, 1852) ; comb. nov.

Distribution: Neotropical. Chile.

Larval host plant(s): unknown.

Figs.: Clarke (1967).

Remarks: The fragment of male genitalia illustrated by Clarke (1967) shows the shape of the phallus, with a large, keel-shaped manica. This is a feature typical of Stephensia and Perittia , not Elachista . The illustration also shows the shape of the juxta which is typical of several South American Perittia , P. regina Kaila, 2000 in particular (cf. Kaila 2000: 162). The characterization of the species as ‘brilliant’ is also a trait in P. regina . The difference in the shape of the lateral extension of the juxta precludes the possibility of these taxa being conspecific. Based on this evidence, E. cupreella Blanchard is here transferred to Perittia , comb. nov.